


The Sealing Wax Wars

by 3amepiphany



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-31 06:28:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20110648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3amepiphany/pseuds/3amepiphany
Summary: The loss of a beloved papermaker begins a siege that holds several nations and estates at hostage in the strangest and most unexpected of ways. A multi-media story.





	The Sealing Wax Wars

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely sure how far I will be able to tell this story via the means by which I had originally intended, but I want to share what I have at the very least, even if it is just the fic itself here and somehow images of the media I produce alongside it.
> 
> The original design was for Patreon, with the majority of the movement in the fic told via correspondence - twice monthly the readers would receive an update that would contain a letter, hand-canceled and sealed, and every now and then maybe a small related trinket but as I don't see myself using Patreon as a platform any longer nor really wanting to put in the time or capital to produce the additional media, nor really feeling the desire to let this get beyond a personal project for me now as opposed to one for fandom (you've been rough waters to navigate openly, I am sorry), all of that has been nixed and I'm hoping to just archive the work here.
> 
> Thanks for reading along I suppose, as this is cobbled together and told.

To wonder if this was a threat to the estate's ability to govern its people or even any personal affairs was not a thought lost on Yuuri as he looked carefully at the full, though folded post that was set on the countertop before him.

It was some of the most beautiful paper he’d ever held in his hand, let alone had in his shop, and he had to shake his head and tell the person asking after it that he didn’t stock it. He’d never seen this weight from any of his distributors, had never felt such a soft texture at any of their presses he'd been to. He only dreamed of being able to produce something of that caliber with his own equipment.

It was the last of its kind, and Yuuri gently handled it respectfully so. Granted, Katsuki Yuuri handled even his rough, grass and flower seed-laden papers and parchments in the same manner. The Katsuki family was well known for the very interesting items they handcrafted to supplement their purchases from other vendors and merchants, but even more so they were known for their care and passion, that translated outwards through their small, shrinking community. He did ask the inquirer if they would wait a moment while he asked his parents if they might know of a suitable purveyor instead, or if there was any contact left to be had with anyone at the original supplier’s shop that might know the makings.

“I’m afraid we have already been over the matter with their staff several times,” the man said as Toshiya was handed the sample for his own inspection. “It has been an arduous undertaking that’s led us to you, and my Ser hopes that you can ease his sadness over these simultaneous losses.”

Despite being the last of its kind, the paper hadn’t come alone: the news of the passing of its maker came with it, and the gravitas with which Toshiya finished his review and handed the item back was very profound. He thanked the servant. He then apologized and did say what Yuuri had, that it was not anything they might stock, but if the man would be so kind as to take some samples of their own wares back with him, perhaps some business could still be done. At least - Yuuri heard himself say during the quiet pause for consideration of the offer - while they did their best to duplicate the lovely work with the hopes of achieving the same quality. It didn’t seem that the shop it came from was interested in trying to continue the product. They knew outright that they wouldn’t be able to. But Yuuri thought, well, it certainly wasn’t impossible to do.

They weren’t the first to ask to cater to the need and that was made clear to them, so in the parcel they packed to return with this last, precious bit of material, they included several posts and quartos of a few selections of their finest paper and scroll-worthy parchment and some of their darkest ink cakes along with a few calligraphy brushes that Yuuri’s mother, Hiroko, hand made.

As his sister Mari readied to wrap it all deftly with her own skillful magic, Yuuri wrote a short message to the recipient. His English was meticulously formal, so his parents decided he must be the one to compose it.

And he did, on a small bit of linen card and with a dazzling ink that he’d created just the week before. The servant marveled at the shimmer and bright purple hue, like dew-kissed orchids in the sun. It wasn’t yet part of their catalogue and there was a slight gasp as Yuuri revealed a matching stick of sealing wax and cut off a small knob of it. The mica he’d ground so finely settled through the solvent of the ink as it dried and puddled so evenly in the wax spoon over the flame as it warmed up, giving it all a wonderful, pearlescent sheen. There was a quick movement as he poured out a dollop of the wax and placed his personal seal on it - a simple offset branch with open cherry blossoms and enough room for him to hand-carve his name in kanji with a tiny pick - to effectively sign the message.

Yuuri made a quick tucked envelope of the seed paper, and used his family’s intricate business seal - four quill pens dipping into a pool that created the image of both an inkwell and a hot spring - on the outside. The wax he used for this was white, with a slip of black wax placed into it before he set the seal atop all. Once it was cooled he dusted it with a golden mica powder to allow the details to stand out.

He thought to include a small vial of the ink and a fresh stick of the wax, as well. He felt incredibly confident that this would work out, and that was such a rare feeling for him. Mari teased him a bit, saying that he didn’t even know this patron and it seemed like such an overtly forward gesture.

He shrugged.

It couldn’t be too much longer before this man’s trip or search would be complete. They’d find out soon enough if it was worth that small embarrassment.


End file.
